Home (pt 1 of the 6th REAL McRoll T-giving Marathon) by Mari & Sammy
by sammy1026
Summary: Puzzle pieces begin to fall into place. Part 1 of the 6th Annual REAL McRoll Thanksgiving Marathon.


_Welcome to Day 1 of the 6__th__ Annual REAL McRoll Thanksgiving Marathon. You'll be getting a new story everyday from Now until December 1__st__. We hope you enjoy!_

* * *

**Home**

"How did your meeting go?" Joseph asked as soon as Elizabeth, DJ, and Catherine came through the front door.

"It went great." Catherine looked at her mother who nodded in agreement. "Everyone is on board. I think it's great they were willing to get together on a Saturday so both Steve and I could be there."

"Speaking of … " Joseph raised his eyebrows.

"He had to stop at the auto parts store to get something for the Marquis, so DJ and I rode home with Mom," Catherine said.

Steve, Catherine, DJ, and Elizabeth had spent the morning meeting with administrators and counselors from the school working out a plan to get DJ up to speed and back into a classroom as quickly as possible. While Catherine and Elizabeth laid out a concrete plan Steve kept a watchful eye on DJ as he met with, and utterly charmed, the school counselor and his new teacher. They were all thrilled that the school principal had granted their request to have him placed in Ms. Lane's first grade class when he was ready.

Steve and Catherine were concerned, and Ms. Lane agreed, that having him reenter the classroom right away could cause unnecessary anxiety for the young boy who had received no schooling at all so far this year and would therefore be behind his classmates. They were worried that anxiety might lead to social isolation and that was the last thing any of them wanted.

After careful consideration of several alternatives it was decided that Elizabeth would undertake a homeschooling program designed to catch DJ up on the things his class had been working on so far this year. In addition to daily 'classroom' work they would meet twice a week after school with Ms. Lane both so she could check on DJ's progress and so he would learn to feel comfortable with her. The plan was that he would join his new classmates when school reconvened in January after the Christmas break.

"Did Angie go down for her nap already?" Catherine asked.

"About 10 minutes ago." Joseph smiled. "I thought I wore her out this morning playing tag on the beach, but the truth is if you'd been gone five minutes longer you'd have probably found me napping myself." He looked at DJ who was leaning against Catherine's legs. "Did you like meeting your new teacher?" he asked.

DJ nodded. "She gave me a sticker." He pointed to his shirt. "I asked if I could have one for Angie and she said yes." He pulled another sticker from the pocket of his jeans with a smile and showed it to Joseph.

"That was very nice of you," Joseph said as he looked at the pink sparkly sticker.

"Angie really likes stickers," DJ smiled. "This one reminds me of her favorite bedtime book."

Catherine smiled softly. "Why don't we save that and you can give it to her tonight at bedtime?"

"Will you read the book again tonight?" Elizabeth asked.

Catherine chuckled. "We read it every night."

"Pretty soon I'm gonna know it by heart," DJ said. "Then I can read it to her whenever she wants."

"You are a very sweet boy." Catherine leaned over and kissed the top of DJ's head. "Why don't you run in the kitchen and grab a juice box to take with you in the car."

As DJ headed for the refrigerator Catherine addressed her father. "Ms. Lane thought it would be a good idea for Mom and DJ to spend a little one-on-one time getting to know each other so he'd be more comfortable with her once their lessons start on Monday so they're going shopping together for some clothes for DJ."

Joseph snorted. "Well that is certainly right in your mother's wheelhouse."

"Play to your strengths I always say." Elizabeth grinned then tapped several books in her arms. "Ms. Lane gave me a copy of the textbooks and worksheets she uses and we discussed where DJ needs to be by January. Which means when I get home later, I have to do something I haven't done in awhile. I need to write up a lesson plan."

"You'll do great." Joseph kissed his wife's cheek. "I have to drop by the VA then I'm headed home. Would you like me to take those books for you?"

"That would be great."

"Should I wait for you to get home and we can have a late lunch?" he asked.

"I actually have lunch plans with a very handsome man." Her eyes sparkled as DJ reentered the room. "But I'm available for dinner."

* * *

After saying goodbye to Joseph and a quick trip to the restroom Elizabeth was all set. "We're going to pick out some pants, shirts and a few pairs of shorts. We'll be back in a few hours," she said with a grin that Catherine and Steve had started to call her 'mall-bound smile'. "And of course, a stop for lunch is a must. We'll have whatever you'd like, DJ. Are you ready?" She offered her hand and he took it readily.

"Ready! Bye, Catherine." He gave a little wave. "Bye, Cammie."

"Have fun, honey. You, too, Mom."

As they stepped out onto the porch, Catherine could hear the last part of their continued conversation as she closed the door.

"I think maybe some cargo pants would be a good idea, don't you?" Her mother's gentle, upbeat voice and DJ's reply made her smile.

"Pants like Steve's? That'd be super awesome." DJ's tone was happy and excited and Catherine's heart swelled at how far he'd come in so short a time.

Cammie nuzzled her hand and she bent to kiss the furry snout. "He does sound happy, right, pretty girl?"

Just as Cammie gave a soft 'woof', the monitor sprung to life and Catherine heard Angie coming awake in her room. Heading upstairs with the dog right behind her, she opened the gate to see her daughter rubbing one fist across her face as she woke more fully from her nap.

"Did you have a good sleep, sweetie?" She moved to sit on the corner of the toddler bed and kissed her daughter's cheek. "It's time for lunch. How about some grilled cheese and applesauce?"

Angie nodded, still slightly sleepy and reached up with both arms. Lifting her, Catherine snuggled the toddler and carried her down to the kitchen before placing her on her feet. When she climbed onto her usual chair, Angie looked around as her mother took out the bread, cheese and milk and placed an applesauce container on the counter.

"Wh're DJ?" Her hair bounced around her face as she checked out the kitchen.

"DJ went out for a little bit, but he'll be back right after lunch," Catherine explained as she placed three sandwiches on the griller. Grilled cheese for Angie and ham, swiss and turkey for her and Steve.

Angie's brow knitted and she shook her head. "Wan' DJ he'we."

"He'll be back really soon, baby girl. Look, here's your applesauce." She placed it in front of her with a spoon.

"DJ eat app'asauce?"

"Maybe when he comes back. How about we save him one?" Catherine studied her little girl's face thoughtfully.

"We'we Daddy?"

"Daddy's in the garage," she said and called, "Steve? Can you come in the kitchen?"

After taking a few minutes to wash up in the garage sink, he strode in just as Catherine was putting the sandwiches on plates. "Hey, baby girl, lunchtime already?" He bent to kiss Angie's cheek and run a hand over Cammie's fur. "Good, I'm starving."

Before Catherine had a chance to tell him about Angie's inquiry, she asked her daddy herself.

"We'we DJ go?"

Raising his brow at Catherine, Steve bent to kiss Angie's head. "Just to the store. He's coming back soon, baby girl. And I'm betting he'll bring a surprise for you," he said, knowing a trip to any store with Elizabeth would result in a treat for his daughter.

"Cookies?" Her expression was so much like her mother's when Catherine was intrigued that he couldn't hold back a grin.

"How about you eat your sandwich now and when DJ gets back, we'll have a cookie? Do you want to try some of Daddy's sandwich?" He offered her a bite.

She tasted it and wrinkled her nose. "Wan' dis one." She pointed to her own.

"Tell Daddy, 'No thank you,'" Catherine reminded, adding, "Eat your grilled cheese and like Daddy said, we can have a treat with DJ when he gets back."

"No tank oo," Angie parroted and considering their proposal with two-year-old logic nodded. "Sangwich den cookies wif DJ," she said almost to herself as she picked up one quarter of her sandwich, dipped in the ketchup Catherine had dolloped on the corner of her plate and, as her parents started on their own lunch, took a bite.

Passing the dog a small piece of turkey and rubbing her ears with affection, Catherine bent to kiss her head and when Steve tilted his chin towards their daughter and murmured, "What do you make of that?" with undisguised pride, she beamed.

"I think we have one really amazing daughter." Looking into Cammie's eyes and thinking she seemed to be agreeing with them she added, "And you already know that, right, my pretty girl?"

Cammie woofed softly and licked her lips appreciatively at a second piece of turkey before settling next to Angie's chair. She knew why her littlest human was looking for their newest pack member and she wholeheartedly approved.

Catherine hadn't whelped another offspring, but the small human male they had brought home had begun assimilation into their pack just days after his arrival.

When he'd come into the house smelling of hope and insecurity and gentleness, Cammie had smelled something else. Something she hadn't scented since her puppyhood when the two loud, cold humans who fed and let her out but didn't show her affection would raise their voices at each other and one would smell of death.

Fear.

The scent of it on DJ was dissipating by the time Angie had called her over and she licked the boy's cheek. It made her happy when he and Angie laughed, but Cammie didn't like that she had smelled the remnants of him being afraid so she'd become determined any fear would stay away. She immediately considered it another part of her job.

From the minute Catherine had offered her cold water and kindness and Steve drove her home in the truck, her life was filled with love. Her job of keeping them safe and happy had grown at Angie's conception and her littlest human was becoming more fun to interact with every day. They shared a language long before the child spoke in human words and always communicated perfectly.

Cammie sighed and stretched out on the nice, cool kitchen floor. She knew exactly what Angie was thinking. She was sure Steve and Catherine would, too. Sometimes the big humans took a tiny bit longer to catch on to what she and Angie were communicating, but they always did.

* * *

Two hours later, when Angie was playing on the sand with Steve and Catherine while Cammie napped under one of the giant umbrellas set up for shade, the dog alerted and stood facing the deck seconds before Elizabeth and DJ stepped into the yard.

"We're back! Angie, come see what we brought you, sweetheart." Elizabeth waved, then passed a small bag to DJ.

"Gwamma he'we!" Angie pushed herself up and tore across the sand at full speed with Cammie, Steve and Catherine close behind.

When she reached the deck, she kissed Elizabeth and turned to DJ who said, "We got you a big cookie, Angie, look!" and withdrew the large black and white iced treat.

"Tank ooh!" Angie said with glee and spun to show her parents as she took a bite.

Chewing happily, the toddler broke a large piece off and gave it to the smiling boy. "Cookie wif DJ aftew sangwich," She repeated and taking his hand in her free one smiled the identical smile her grandmother wore at her next words. Words that caused Catherine's eyes to fill as Steve leaned down and kissed her temple.

Looking from Steve to Catherine to Cammie who was greeting the six old with a welcome back kiss, Angie matter of factly announced what she and the dog knew all along.

"See, Mommy, Daddy? DJ home."

* * *

"Estella, Hi," Catherine said as she stepped out onto the deck with the phone against her ear. "I know it's a holiday week, but Steve and I were wondering if we can set up a time to get together and discuss exactly what steps we need to take to make DJ a permanent part of our family."

_Stay tuned tomorrow for part 2 of the REAL McRoll Thanksgiving Marathon_


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